help ID this one see pic

appears to be , aprox. .30 some odd cal.
Nifty little trigger pops down when the hammer is cocked.
Only markings are a number 1 inside a diamond. any clue???

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Jim K

April 15, 2003, 10:47 PM

It looks like a little pocket pistol or ladies' muff pistol. These were made by the thousands here and in Europe mostly by makers who did not think enough of the guns to put their names on them. They were the mid-19th century equivalent of the "Saturday Night Special".

They were very common and a lot are still around. In working condition, and without some special provenance (such as proven ownership by a famous person), they go for around $100-150 in antique shops as novelties. Alas, most are not in working condition and their value is nominal.

Some call this type of pistol a "derringer" but they are not of the Deringer type.

Jim

Jagermeister

April 16, 2003, 05:42 AM

Jim Keenan:

thanks Jim, I couldn't find a "look alike" anywhere in the library. Apprediate the help, your knowledge is unsrupassable.

JM

Jim K

April 19, 2003, 01:13 AM

FWIW, the grip and general outline looks Belgian or French, but a gun made in Europe should have proofmarks on it, assuming they have not been removed.

So, the puzzle stays a puzzle.

Jim

Crimper-D

April 21, 2003, 12:27 AM

That's my best guess and I've actually seen one like this in an antique store cased with a cleaning rod and a barrel wrench. The one I encounterd was about .44cal = a breechloader in that you dumped powder into the powder chamber, placed a ball atou the powder that was slightly larger than the bore, and screwed the barrel down over it making a very tight seal. Because of this snug fit , there was more pressure build up and even the smoothbores
were more powerful and accurate than muzzel loaders of the same size.
Interestingly, Dixie Arms still sells a little bag gripped folding trigger screw barrel pistol kit.:D Takes a charge of about 5 gr of FFFg behind a .445ball.

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